GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 377, 27 August 1875, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

("By Telegraph J (From a correspondent of the Press.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, August 25. The House resumed at 7.30. WELLINGTON SPECIAL SETTLEMENT BILL. Mr Andrew moved the second reading of the Wellington Special Settlements Act Amendment Bill. The abuse to which the old Act was liable was, that any person on good terms with the Superintendent and Agent-General might obtain a commission on his own purchase money by getting someone outside the province to lend his name for authority for the purchase. Mr Fitzherbert asked the gentleman whether he would dare to say that the abuse had been committed. Mr Andrew cited two cases. One was that in which Mr Bridges had obtained a commission of 6 per cent on the sale of land which he had recommended to Mr Larkworthy for an association formed in England. On making inquiries he could not discover that there was an association. The other case was the purchase of land by Mr Buller for a non-resident in Wellington. Mr Fitzherbert said the circumstances were these : As to the first case, the sale was made to Mr Larkworthy for the purpose of forming a flax association, but the trade did not turn out a success, and the association was not formed. Under the circumstances the people, who were to come out to prepare the flax under a particular patent, did not come out, and the affair fell through, and the land had to be utilised for pasture. Large sums having been spent in drainage and making roads, he wjuld ask whether there had been any abuse of power. The next case was that of Mr May, alleged to have been a person in whose name land was bought, and who did reside in Wellington, but he was not here now. That could scarcely be looked upon as an abuse of power. The clause sought to be rescinded was that conferring power to grant commissions upon Superintendents, and if the General Government were of opinion that there had been any abuse they had their remedy. He moved that the Bill be read that day six months, and his reason for doing so was that it had been for a long time a habit of the House that all matters affecting the land laws of the province should first be initiated in the Provincial Council. Mr Andrew had brought up the measure in order to assist a friend of his at the coming elections. Hon 0. 0. BOWEN was of opinion that there had been no intention to charge anyone with abuse, but the member for Hutt might now perhaps be able to appreciate the feelings of the Government when accusations of corruption were hurled against them daily. He thought the powers of discretion in matters relating to the waste lands should be limited to the smallest possible extent, and this was a fair matter to go to the Waste Lands Committee. Hon Major Atkinson had not been able to find any trace of the transactions being properly audited, and was of opinion that the matter should be fully enquired into. The question whether the Bill should be read now, was put, and a division demanded. Ayes 29 Noes 27 TARANAKI WASTE LANDS BILL. The Taranaki Waste Lands Amendment Bill was committed, and a division taken on an amendment that the educational reserves should be leased at per acre, and to compel the lease to be sold by (auction for a certain sum down. The amendment was lost by 25 to 15. OAMARU WATER WORKS. The Camaru Water Works Bill was read a second time. CHRISTCHURCH DRAINAGE BILL. Mr Eolleston moved the second reading of the Christchurch District Drainage Bill, Sir 0. Wilson read a resolution passed at a meeting at Christchurch, to the effect that the Bill should not be passed until it had undergone material revision, and until after the election of City Council. He moved the* Bill be not read until after the 9th of September. In the discussion that ensued,

Hons B. Richardson and Stafford strongly urged the necessity of taking the ac! ion contemplated in the Bill on sanitary grounds. Tire latter contended that the health of the inhabitants of the suburbs was entitled to be considered. Mr Rolleston undertook not to press the Bill to the third reading until after the municipal elections, but seeing that there was little time for getting on with private business, he was anxious to get the second reading through. He would allow a fortnight to elapse before going into committee. Between this and then there would be ample time for communicating with the city authorities as to any revision required to be made. The second reading was then agreed to. PLANS OF TOWNS. The House went into committee on the Plans of Towns Regulations Bill, which was fully discussed. Mr O’Neill notified that he proposed to withdraw the clause referring to private land, which was done, the Bill to apply to the laying off of townships on Crown lands only. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. GOLDFIELDS BILL, The Goldfields Amendment Bill was committed, and some discussion arose on the question of the area of land to be taken up on the goldfields. Mr Mervyn, the mover, wished to retain the clause giving 320 acres. A division was taken, resulting in the clause being negatived by a majority of seven. Mr Mervyn then asked leave to withdraw the Bill, and moved that the chairman vacate the chair. The motion was overruled, and the next clause proceeded with. On the motion for the third reading, Mr Mervyn demanded a division, stating that at the time he gave notice of his intention to press the clause there had been a sufficient number of members favorable thereto to have carried it. The ayes had it by fourteen to ten, and the Bill passed, OTAGO WASTE LANDS BILL. The Otago Waste Lands Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. PALMERSTON WATERWORKS. The House then went into committee on the Palmerston Waterworks Bill. BILLS PASSED. The Campbeltown Athenaeum Bill and the Auckland Institute Bill were read a third time and passed. In answer to Mr Macandrew, Hon Major Atkinson said the Government would this session, if possible, but certainly next, bring down a general measure to incorporate all Athenaeums. [Per Press Agency.l Thursday, August 26. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30. NEW MEMBER. Mr Stout, the new member for Caversham, took the oath and his seat. BILL PASSED. The Auckland Improvement Act Amendment Bill was passed. CONFISCATED lands. Sir Donald M‘Lean gave notice to ask for leave to introduce a Bill by which the control of the confiscated lands should be placed under the ordinary management of the waste lands of the colony. CHRISTCHURCH DRAINAGE LOAN. Hon E. Richardson introduced the Christchurch Drainage Loan Bill, which was read a first time. WELLINGTON SETTLEMENTS ACT. Mr Bunny moved, without notice, that the House be adjourned in order that the debate might be taken upon certain remarks made by the Treasurer last evening, when speaking to the Wellington Special Settlements Amendment Act. The Treasurer said that he endeavored in vain to obtain some information as to certain vouchers, the payment of which was authorised by the Superintendent, the Auditor having informed him he could furnish no such information, and upon this the Treasurer had founded a charge of abuse of power. Mr Bunny then produced the vouchers bearing the auditor’s signature, and stated that if it had not been for the Treasurer’s incorrect and damaging statements, the previous evening, the Bill would have been thrown out as desired. Mr Fitzherbert commented upon the conduct of the Treasurer with considerable severity, for not having ascertained the truth of the charge before making it. In the course of his remarks he told the Treasurer these side winds would have no effect in warding off the several grave enquiries now hanging over Ministers. There was no doubt accusations had been levelled at Ministers from all round the House, and he could assure the hon member, many more grave ones would yet be made. Messrs Hunter and Pearce both spoke to the point, and said the Treasurer had thrown out imputations against the Provincial Government that were quite unfounded and uncalled for, and they supported the allegation of the members for Hntt and Wairarapa. THE WARD-CHAPMAN PAPERS. Mr Rolleston asked the Speaker what was the best course to pursue, in order to retain access to the papers regarding the Ward-Chapman inquiry. The Speaker was understood to say the best course would be to hold a conference with the other House regarding the disposal of the papers laid before the joint committee of inquiry. ABOLITION DEBATE. The abolition debate was resumed by Mr Johnston, by announcing that he would support the Bill. The hon gentleman combatted the historical parallel, instanced by the member for the Hutt, to show they proved the very opposite of what they intended to do. Instead of the Bill being the prototype of the French Central Government, it was the very contrary. It proposed to give the out districts a fair share of the land revenue. As for the country being intoxicated with the expenditure of borrowed money, he failed to see it. They never had the money. They imported a great many immigrants, and a great deal of railway material, but paid for them in London by debentures. That was not very intoxicating. As for the voice of the people, it was, as he read it, in favour of the change from one end to the other of the colony, The most that could be done was to get some of the people to ask for postponement for another year; the provincial officers being desirous of being their own executioners, but the people cared little who did the job so as it was done. There never was great change or reform, that all sorts of ruin and disaster were not predicted of it, and it should be remembered that the Catholic Emancipation) and many other great

reforms, had been achieved against the wishes of a great proportion of the people benefitted. The machinery by which the change was to be made was not perfect ; but it was sufficient for the purpose at present. It could bring about the transaction without any hitch or shock, and would reduce the present system of provincialism to a mere geographical name. The member for Hutt said fuller powers should be given to Provincial Governments and less to the General Government. If that were done, they would soon smash the country to atoms. The leader of the Opposition, in one of his speeches, promised them a new constitution infinitely better and more liberal than the Government proposals ; but it was found easier to promise than perform, and it was left for the member for Bruce to give them one, and the fact of his deeming it necessary to do so, showed he admitted the necessity of a change. The hon member for Auckland City west, told them that a great wrong had been done to the colony by large blocks of land being alienated to wealthy individuals, but who alienated the land, none but the provinces, and yet the hon gentleman wanted them to perpetuate that pernicious system. The hon gentleman referred to home. A few years back, when Wellington was so impecunious, it was forced to lay hands upon the deposits in the Saving’s Banks and the funds of the Road Boards, which were never returned to them. He- also referred to the intention of the Superintendent to sell in one lot the whole of the land in process of reclamation, to show what injuries to the public interest occasionally arose from provincial control. Another instance was when the Wellington Provincial Council was sent about its business by the Superintendent, because they would not appropriate money they did not possess. The Provincial Secretary had endeavored to make out that his Government had expended almost as much in the Manawatu as had been received from it. After going carefully through the provincial accounts, he found that the complaints of his constituents were in every case well founded, and that they did not get anything like a fair share of the money derived from their district ; and the Provincial Treasurer stated to the House what was not the fact. If any one assisted his district, it was the General Government. Touching the financial part of the Bill, a point had been made that the consolidated revenue could not afford to pay what was to be charged against it, and that the assistant promised to the Road Boards and municipalities could not be met, but he pointed out that the capitation money and grants to Road Boards last year amounted to £117,000, whilst the assistance promised in the scheme was only £120,000, The hon gentleman criticised the financial arrangements contained in the Bill, and said that, comparing the Budget with that of former years, he could not see that the proposals of the Bill would very seriously affect the consolidated revenue. With regard to the statement of the member for the Hutt, that the bailiff had already been here and valued our estate, and that we should have to show tangible security for any more loans, the way our last loan was negotiated was a most indubitable proof of our high credit. Great countries, like France, America, and Italy, could not borrow on better terms, if as good, and powerful empires like Russia and Austria had to pay a great deal more. Mr BRADSHAW said that he had always been an opponent of the provincial system, and although he voted for the resolutions last year, he hoped this measure would not be finally passed this session. He would vote for the second reading, and would endeavor to aid the Bill in committee, but would oppose the third reading. He regretted larger powers had been thrown upon provinces than had been contemplated by the Constitution Act. Still, taking another view, they were placed in an anomalous and dangerous position. Although Otago and Canterbury possessed large revenues, they could not borrow a penny, while Road Boards could do so. Had the Provincial Governments been in the position to anticipate their revenues, they would not so often have been forced to throw valuable blocks of land into the market. After touching upon a few points in the speeches of other hon members, the hon gentleman proceeded to show that the financial arrangements of the Bill placed Otago in a worse position than she is at present. Where the Otago Provincial Council had appropriated £220,000 for public works, the Government proposals did not provide anything like this amount, and he utterly failed to see whence it would be derived, unless large blocks of land were forced into the market. The Bill was most unjust in its operation upon out districts, as compared with the municipalities. Its motto appeared to be, to him that hath I give, and from him that hath not shall ]take that little he hath. The only result of the arrangement would be that the Colonial Government would ultimately lay their hands upon the land fund. He was confident of that, and he challenged the Treasurer to give a guarantee that that would not be done. The hon gentleman commented on the sale of the Moa block, a transaction which he considered to reflect discredit upon provincial institutions. While deprecating the sale, it must be admitted that its necessity was caused by the legislation of the General Government. Charges of mismanagement and incapacity were made against Provincial Governments; he did not defend them, but the General Government were far from perfect. Take as an instance when, in order to deal with the goldfields question, they called for essays on the subject, and while debarring any member of the House from competing, they appointed two gentlemen—one eminent in geology, the other in chemistry—to decide upon the essays. The result was, that the original intention was overlooked, and the chief prize was awarded to the best essay from a geological point of view. On the question of taxation, he might say the Government would have to deal with that sooner than they thought of. What had taken place in Canada and elsewhere ? The revenue would suddenly decrease, and taxation must be had recourse to to meet or liquidate their liabilities. The provinces should make all laws, power to make which was given them by the constitution. This Legislature should not have the power of saying what were ultra vires , the appeal should be to the Supreme Court, which, in a cheap way, would deal with the question of the legality of those laws. He would give power to the provinces to levy taxes within their own boundaries, and to tax land within thoir boundaries. This would produce harmony instead of conflict between the provinces and the Supreme Legislature. He thought that if the delegated powers were withdrawn the provinces

would merge into the position of municipalities, but a separate existence they ought to have. He would recommend that more time should be taken, so that after mature deliberation a measure might be framed which would give satisfaction to every one, because such a thing ought to be possible. There could be only one result if the present measure were carried, and that was separation of the two islands. [By Telegraph.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Augus 127. On the House resuming last night, Mr Williams spoke strongly in favor of the Bill. Mr Swanson followed against in a strong speech from an Auckland point of view. He would oppose the Bill through every stage. Mr Ormond supported the Bill in what a great many persons considered the very best speech of the session, and certainly the most effective in favour of abolition. He was particularly keen and searching in his criticism on Sir George Grey and Mr Reader Wood. He spoke for an hour and a half. Mr Harrison believed in abolition, and always had, but wanted the Bill sent to the country, that was his only point of objection. He said if Mr Ormond’s speech had not exactly altered his decision it had considerably modified the views he held before. Messrs Kelly spoke for immediate abolition. Mr Kelly moved the adjournment of the debate at 1.20 this morning.